Oak Ridge travels to Halls Crossroads

Oak Ridge High School (1-1 overall, 1-0 in district play) is back on the Road to Knoxville tonight — Friday, Sept. 13 — though this time they will be suiting up against the Halls Red Devils on the opposite end of town.

Comment

By Darrell Richardson/The Oak Ridger

Oakridger - Oak Ridge, TN

By Darrell Richardson/The Oak Ridger

Posted Sep. 13, 2013 at 10:49 AM

By Darrell Richardson/The Oak Ridger

Posted Sep. 13, 2013 at 10:49 AM

Oak Ridge High School (1-1 overall, 1-0 in district play) is back on the Road to Knoxville tonight — Friday, Sept. 13 — though this time they will be suiting up against the Halls Red Devils on the opposite end of town.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Halls Crossroads.

The Wildcats’ last trip to K-Town was to Farragut High School on Aug. 30, when the non-district Admirals spoiled the debut of the visiting football squad’s 2013 season with a tough 31-24 loss on Bill Clabo Field.

Despite a truly remarkable comeback in the second half, time literally ran out for Oak Ridge in Fox Den. First-game jitters against a Farragut team that had already played its season-opener at Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett were believed to be probable factors in the home team leaping to a 24-3 lead by halftime and holding on to that lead despite the ’Cats best efforts.

In Game 2, Oak Ridge hosted the Clinton High School Dragons in its home-opener at Jack Armstrong Stadium last Friday night, Sept. 6.

The Wildcats handed Clinton its second loss of the season in a fan-pleasing 51-14 performance on Blankenship Field — in front of a large and vocal crowd that included many former Wildcat football players honored prior to the game. The loss dropped Clinton’s overall record to 1-2, as the Dragons had defeated Seymour 27-7 the week before at Seymour.

The crowd gathered for the Clinton vs. Oak Ridge game obviously thrilled the Wildcats’ returning head coach Joe Gaddis, who exclaimed: “They’re back!”

Oak Ridge vs. Clinton also provided senior Wildcat Jaylin Henderson with his first start at quarterback, completing 10-of-14 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns — all in the first half. Henderson returned to the Oak Ridge lineup this season following what coach Gaddis has referred to on several occasions as a nearly “miraculous” recovery from an ACL injury.

The Halls Red Devils were 1-9 last season and return a dozen starters — six on offense and six on defense. Pre-season standouts included right guard and defensive tackle Logan Turpin (5-11, 265), fellow senior running back and linebacker Garrett Moyers, junior defensive back and wide receiver Colby Jones and sophomore offensive/defensive lineman Cole Patterson (6-2, 270).

Senior quarterback and defensive back Spencer Herd and senior running back and defensive back Logan Potter were expected to be back on the field this season after both were injured last year.

***

CAREacter Athletes

The CAREacter Star Athlete Program is based on a five-point Star System that includes attitude, character, grades, community service and performance.

Page 2 of 2 - Every week coaches from schools across the county select one student from each specific sport as their school’s “Star Athlete of the Week” based on the five traits.